Generally, in an image forming apparatus using a xerography such as a copier, a printer or a facsimile apparatus, in the image forming steps, a roller to which a conductivity is imparted such as a transfer roller, a developing roller, a toner supply roller, a charge roller, a cleaning roller, an intermediate transfer roller or a belt driving roller is used.
As such a roller member, ones provided with a basic structure having an elastic layer comprising a rubber, polymeric elastomer, polymeric foam or the like given electric conductivity by blending a conductive agent therein, which elastic layer is formed on the outer periphery of the shaft; and further with one or a plurality of layers of the coating films on the outer periphery of the layer to attain a desired surface roughness, electric conductivity, hardness and the like; have been conventionally used.
As a method of manufacturing such an elastic roller provided with one or a plurality of layers of coating films, Patent Document 1 proposes a method in which, in manufacturing an elastic roller composed of a plurality of layers containing an elastic layer provided around a shaft, all these layers are formed by dip coating. By this method, equipment cost can be reduced, and particularly in cases where an elastic roller having a small diameter is used, equipment cost can be considerably reduced.